Huang Mao, a postdoctoral fellow at Tsinghua University's School of Journalism and Communication, is redefining victory conditions in strategy games. At the 2026 International Conference on Sustainable Development of Energy Economics, the lifelong gamer presented groundbreaking analysis showing how 4X games like Civilization shape perceptions of progress.
The Colonial Legacy in Digital Worlds
Traditional 4X games operate on what Huang calls "the iron logic of endless growth" – systems rewarding resource hoarding and industrial dominance. Civilization III, which Huang first played as a sixth grader, taught generations that environmental protection meant "building a few more lumber mills," he told CGTN.
Māori Wisdom Meets Modern Game Design
The researcher highlights Civilization VI's Māori civilization as a turning point, where players gain advantages through environmental stewardship rather than exploitation. This year, developers are taking bolder steps – some player-created mods now replace military conquests with cooperative climate crisis solutions.
A New Playbook for Global Challenges
While 63% of strategy gamers still prioritize industrial output, Huang's research shows growing interest in sustainable win conditions. "When 20 million players weekly experience renewable energy systems in games," he notes, "we're training minds to think beyond zero-sum competition."
